Simple and Clean
by Phanimation
Summary: Dan Howell is a thirteen year old high school freshman. Phil Lester, the most popular kid in school, is assigned to exclusively tutor him in French. When conflicting feelings form, will the older teen take a chance with Dan, or will he let the fear of being in a relationship with a younger boy drive him away? Phan centric, boyxboy, rated T for language and adult themes.
1. Prince of the Playground

**Chapter 1: Prince of the Playground**

"Come on, Cry Baby," Louise joked half heatedly, eagerly tugging Dan into the overpopulated school.

" _Shut up,_ " Dan retorted bitterly, internally cringing at his horrendous nickname.

Louise snorted and pulled the younger boy along, ignoring his spiteful response. Ever since the first day of freshman year (which was over a month ago), the blonde haired girl had deemed the thirteen year old boy the "Cry Baby," of the entire school. Why, you may ask? Well, when the first day of orientation started, Dan was only _twelve_ years old. He had skipped two grades prior to secondary school (first grade and fourth grade), so he's two years younger than most of his classmates.

"I don't even look that young," Dan defended.

"You're lucky you're tall," Louise added. "If you weren't 5'8, you'd stick out like a sore thumb!"

"Yeah, yeah," Dan mumbled. "I know."

"Oh, speaking of tall!" Louise squeaked, pointing off in the opposite direction. "It's Phil Lester!"

Dan whipped his head around and saw said boy casually walking up the steps of The Forrest School. He was surrounded by people that Dan couldn't care less about. Phil Lester and his friends consisted of the "popular kids." They basically ruled the school and treated anyone who wasn't in their little circle like dirt.

"He's _so_ popular and cool," Louise added when she realized Dan wasn't going to say anything in return.

"I guess he is," Dan agreed.

"Lighten up, Cry Baby. What's wrong? Does someone have something against the Prince of the Playground?"

Dan choked on his own spit and snorted. "As if I have anything against him. I don't even know him!"

Phil's gorgeous blue eyes connected with Dan's, making the younger boy blush. The dark haired boy sent Dan a cheeky wink, which was followed by a little smirk creeping onto his lips. Dan groaned and looked away. He was angry for thinking he even had a chance with someone like Phil Lester. Then he was angry at himself for feeling that way in the first place.

"Whatever," he said, obviously trying to act uninterested.

The two rushed into the school and immediately headed for their lockers, which were conveniently placed side by side.

"Do you wanna go to the cafeteria before class?" Louise asked, pulling out her English textbook in the process.

"No, I can't," Dan answered. "Headmaster Montgomery wanted to see me before classes start."

The blonde haired girl's eyes instantly went wide. "W-Why would he want to see you?" she questioned, her voice trembling with fear.

Dan's French book, which he had previously picked up from within his locker, slowly fell from his grasp and onto the floor. Dan gave Louise a serious look, his smile fading. His chocolate colored eyes scanned the corridors, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with _that,_ " Dan reassured her. "And even if it does, I'll either deny everything or take full responsibility. Don't stress yourself out over it, okay?"

"Okay," Louise repeated softly, unable to look the younger boy in the eye. She looked like she was about to start crying. Dan felt guilty for dragging her into _his_ mess, the mess _he_ had created to keep both of them safe.

"Good," Dan said, retrieving his French book from the ground and slamming his locker door shut. "I'm going to go talk to Headmaster Montgomery, wish me luck."

"Good luck," she whispered inaudibly. The gray eyed girl stayed frozen in place, watching her best (and only) friend walk away into possible hell, and it was all her fault.

 _~Page Break~_

Dan hurriedly shuffled down the busy corridors, just wanting his meeting with the Headmaster to be done and over with.

 _Whatever happens happens,_ Dan told himself, trying to comfort his own worried mind. _If push comes to shove, deny everything and walk away. If they have any tangible evidence against you, take full responsibility and don't bring Louise down with you. Just be a man and face the consequences!_

The thirteen year old sighed deeply and pushed the Headmaster's door open, fully prepared to accept whatever fate was about to be thrown at him.

"Daniel," Headmaster Montgomery greeted. "Come in, come in! We have something very important to discuss."

Dan gulped and quietly closed the door. He sat down in the wastefully spacious office, his stomach doubling over and his heart racing a thousand miles a minute.

"Do you have any idea why you're hear?" Mr. Montgomery asked.

"No," Dan replied with a blank and innocent expression plastered across his secretly guilty face.

Mr. Montgomery eyed the French textbook and let out a loud laugh.

"Oh Daniel, you won't be needing that anymore!" he stated as he practically ripped the textbook out of the brown haired boy's trembling hands.

Dan felt his heart drop. Headmaster Montgomery _knew._ He must have! Why else would he take away Dan's textbook and tell him he wouldn't need it anymore?

"Why is that?" Dan inquired, choosing to portray a calm and composed persona.

 _You're innocent until proven guilty,_ he solemnly reminded himself.

Mr. Montgomery beamed brightly and reached across his mahogany desk, patting Dan on the back.

"As you already know, you are one of the school's smartest and most promising students. You're French teacher, Madame Petit, informed the teaching staff about how you're sailing through her class with little effort and flying colors. After a short discussion, the school board and I have decided to bump you up from the first year French class to the advanced third year French class."

The chocolate eyed boy smiled brighter than the sun and breathed a huge sigh of relief. He wasn't smiling because the school board had decided to place him in a more advanced class. No, he was smiling because they didn't suspect a _thing._ He was smiling because he hadn't been caught and he wouldn't need to lie in order to protect Louise.

"That's incredible!" Dan smiled, his voice filled with genuine delight and joy.

"It truly is," Mr. Montgomery confirmed. "We've extremely proud to have you as a shining representative student of The Forrest School."

Dan blushed and shyly tucked a strand of lose hair behind his ear. "Thank you, sir."

"Now," he began. "Instead of going to homeroom today, I've decided to have you work on getting acquainted with the new textbook and French material you'll be learning."

The young boy nodded his head. "Will I be doing this on my own?"

"Of course not," Mr. Montgomery clarified. "You may excel in school and be a promising scholar, but third year AP French is quite a complicated course. I've decided to have Madame Petit's most qualified student assist you in your effort to catch up with the rest of the class."

"Sounds good to me," Dan said.

"Splendid," Mr. Montgomery smiled. He picked up his office's phone and dialed the woman at the front desk. "Yes, Kara? Could you send Madame Petit's recommended student up to my office? Thank you dear."

Dan patiently stared at the door, waiting to meet his future mentor. He rapidly tapped his foot against the wooden floor, his crippling anxiety taking over. Dan hated talking to people. Now he was being _forced_ to talk to someone. It was going to be absolute hell.

The door swung open and a familiar pale boy with sparkling blue eyes entered the office. Dan felt his breath hitch in his throat.

 _Great, not this guy. Please lord, anyone but him!_

"Ah, Philip! Thank you for agreeing to tutor young Daniel."

Phil gave the Headmaster his signature smile and took the unoccupied seat next to Dan. "It's no problem, really. I'm ahead in all of my classes anyway, so missing a few weeks of homeroom won't hurt my average."

Headmaster Montgomery was practically glowing by this point. Dan knew it was only because his and Phil's test scores made the already exclusive school more prestigious. They were nothing more than a bragging piece, two success stories to show off at school board and council meetings. Dan didn't care. Being the best came with its advantages, after all.

"Delightful. You boys can study in the auditorium during homeroom, it should be empty during this period."

"Sure thing," Phil replied with the same tone that made all of the teachers instantaneously fall in love with him.

"Alright, get a move on boys."

At that moment, the warning bell rang, and Phil gave Dan a sideways smile and raked his body with his eyes.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

Dan blinked and quickly rose from his position in the chair.

"Yeah," he replied lamely.

 _At least I didn't stutter._

Phil grinned and lead the way to the auditorium in utter silence. As they walked, Dan reflected on all the reasons he hated the school's residential popular kids, including Phil. Him and his whole group were rude to students they deemed "lower," than them, they _never_ stayed quiet during lunch period, and they made it their own personal mission to terrify the rest of the school.

 _If Phil's such an awful person, than why the fuck am I thinking about him this much?_

In all honesty, Dan was surprised Phil was taking AP French. Who knew he was so smart?

The blue eyed boy turned the corner, Dan following closely behind, still thinking about everything Phil Lester had ever done wrong.

"We're here," Phil said, opening a door which led to the back of the auditorium.

"Why are we studying back here?" Dan asked, eyeing props from past plays and the costumes for the school's upcoming production of _Grease._

"It's more relaxing back here," Phil stated simply. "And there's a couch and a table, too, so we have a decent place to properly work. Let's get started."

Phil pulled out his AP French book and patted the empty seat next to him. Dan flopped down next to Phil, still slightly annoyed with the entire situation. He did _not_ look forward to spending countless mornings with Phil Lester in an empty auditorium. Or did he?

"Do you want to start on communication or cultural awareness first?" Phil questioned, his ginger colored eyebrows perfectly raised.

"Communications," Dan answered instantly. "I've spent every summer since I was born in France, so I'm already fully aware of French culture."

A small smile played on Phil's pretty pink lips. "Is that so? Well then, I should have no trouble being your instructor."

Dan's cheeks burned red as Phil flipped through the textbook.

 _Wait. Why the hell am I blushing right now? I hate this guy!_

"Let's start with moderately complex grammar and move our way up from there. Now, watch my lips and study how I pronounce this sentence. _Tous les jours j'erre dans les mêmes rues sans âme. Chaque jou, je rencontre les mêmes visages malheureux qui se sont réduits à presque rien, les mêmes maisons croulantes qui ont été ignorés comme je l'ai été ignoré par la communauté environnante, mais surtout, je vois le même monde terne qui avait perdu ses années de signification depuis_."

Dan raised his left eyebrow and gave Phil a questioning look.

"You just said, _Everyday I roam the same soulless streets. Everyday I encounter the same unhappy faces who have reduced themselves to almost nothing, the same crumbling houses which have been ignored like I have been ignored by the surrounding community, but most of all, I see the same dull world which had lost its meaning years ago._ "

Phil blinked, slightly shocked that Dan picked up on his grammar so easily.

"Well done," Phil praised the younger boy.

Dan and Phil continued their study session for the rest of homeroom period. It mostly consisted of Phil teaching Dan things he already knew, but the brown haired boy decided to go along with it. He didn't want to start any unnecessary drama with the most popular kid in the whole school.

Towards the end of the period, Dan's phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Go ahead, answer it," Phil said. "I can tell you're comprehending all of this anyway. Next time, I'll try to teach you something you don't know."

"Thank you," Dan said, actually grateful towards the older boy.

The thirteen year old pulled his iPhone out of his back pocket and saw he had one new text message from Louise.

 _Louise: Dan, what happened in the Headmaster's office? Are you okay? Why aren't you in homeroom!?_

 _Dan: Everything's fine. Headmaster doesn't suspect a thing. He just bumped me up from French 1 to AP French. I'm currently being tutored by the Prince of the Playground._

 _Louise:_ _OMG YOU ARE NOT!_

Dan smirked as he typed another text message.

 _Dan:_ _I am. It's nothing I haven't learned already, but at least he's not acting like a complete asshole._

 _Louise:_ _Have fun (; Remember to give me all the dets during lunch!_

 _Dan:_ _Sure thing, but I gotta go. TTYL_

"Who was that?" Phil asked after Dan had slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"My friend Louise. She was worried about why I wasn't in first period."

"Louise, that's the blonde girl you always hang out with, right?" Phil questioned.

"Yeah, that's her."

Phil laughed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. His actions made Dan feel uneasy.

"What's so funny?" he muttered, crossing his skinny arms across his chest.

"Nothing, I just always assumed she was your girlfriend. I should have known better, though. Why would a guy like you date a freshman?"

"I am a freshman," Dan deadpanned.

Phil's big blue eyes practically bugged out of his head. Dan leaned backwards and literally felt himself cringe.

"You're a _freshman_? I always assumed you were a junior!"

"You should stop assuming things," the chocolate eyed boy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"So you're fifteen?" Phil inquired.

"No," Dan replied, suddenly feeling shy and self-conscious. "I just turned thirteen three months ago."

If Phil had been drinking water, he would have spit it all out.

"You're so young!" the blue eyed boy cried.

Dan rolled his eyes out of pure frustration.

 _Like I haven't heard that one a million times before._

"Yeah, so I've heard."

Phil opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by the sound of the bell indicating that homeroom period was over.

"I should go," Dan stated. "My next class is all the way across campus."

And with that, the thirteen year old collected his things and left the auditorium, slightly mortified by his encounter with the older boy. Phil remained on the couch for a few more moments, completely motionless.

 _~Page Break~_

"Hey, Lester!" Phil's best friend, Chris, called from down the hallway. "There you are, mate. Where have you been all morning?"

Phil walked over towards Chris and pulled the teenager aside.

"Mate, are you okay?" Chris asked when he noticed the worried expression painted across the pale boy's face.

"I was with Dan all this morning," Phil answered, ignoring his friend's prior question.

The brown haired boy smirked and crossed his arms. "Doing what, exactly?"

"Oh, shut up," Phil said, playful shoving Chris. "It wasn't like that. I was teaching him French."

"French kissing?" Chris inquired, wiggling his eyebrows in a ridiculous manner.

"No!" Phil yelled, a deep red blush rapidly spreading across his cheeks. "Actual French, as in the language! It's a long story."

"Okay, okay. So you spent the entire morning 'teaching,' Dan French. I still don't understand what the problem is."

"The _problem_ is that he's only thirteen!" Phil whisper shouted.

Chris' jaw fell open out of shock. He searched his mind for words, occasionally stuttering, but he wasn't able to form a complete sentence.

"I know," Phil said, practically reading the other teen's mind. "I can't believe it either."

"With his height and maturity, I could have sworn he was a junior! He has to be, he's in my math class for God's sake!"

"I know!" Phil concurred. "He's in my AP French class!"

"Dude, this is too crazy. Don't you have a huge crush on Dan?"

The dark haired boy gasped and looked around the hallway, praying to every god who bothered to listen that no one had heard Chris.

"Geez, Chris, why don't you say it a little bit louder! I think a few people in the back didn't hear you!"

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I don't know," Phil sighed. "I have to tutor him for a few weeks in French, so I'm going to be seeing a lot more of him from now on."

"Too bad you still _won't_ be seeing enough," Chris whispered.

Phil bit his bottom lip, the image of a topless Dan coursing through his mind. He mentally scolded himself for thinking of such an inappropriate thing.

"Seriously, _shut up._ "

"Moving on, what are you going to do now? What's your plan?"

"My plan?" Phil repeated, nervously playing with his fringe. "I guess I'll have to keep my feelings to myself. I don't want to get involved with a _kid._ "

"Good idea," Chris approved. "You're eighteen and about to apply for college. You don't want him getting in the way."

Phil frowned and awkwardly kicked his feet around.

 _If only he had been born five years earlier._

 **End of the first chapter!**

 **For clarification, this phanfic takes place in London (Dan's old high school), but I'm using the American schooling system because I'm American and I know absolutely nothing about how the British schooling system works x'D**

 **I'm a new author on here, so if you guys could review this story, favorite, follow me, etc that would be amazing! Seriously, reviews and support mean the world to me and help me write faster. Also, if you want anything specific to happen in this story, or if you have any recommendations, I'd be happy to hear them!**

 **Anyways, I plan to update soon (I'm surprisingly really into this phanfic myself) but until then, thank you loads for reading my first all romance oriented phanfic (:**

 **~Naya**


	2. Alphabet Boy

**Chapter 2: Alphabet Boy**

" _Sooo_ ," Louise drawled out, fluttering her long mascara coated eyelashes. Dan sighed, waiting for the endless amount of questions to begin, like they did every god damned morning. "You're meeting Phil this morning, right? For your _'French lessons,'_ correct?"

"Yes," Dan responded between gritted teeth. "You know I've been meeting him every school day for the past two weeks."

Two weeks ago, Dan had told Louise (almost) everything about his encounter with Phil Lester. He conveniently left out the numerous times the older teen made him blush, or the fact that he revealed he was only thirteen years old.

The first few days of French lessons were insanely uncomfortable. After the first week, Dan had warmed up to Phil and took his French lessons seriously. During the second week they grew even more fond of each other, and started talking about things that weren't French related. Dan discovered they shared many similar interests such as video games, scary movies, music tastes, favorite foods, and dreams for the future.

During the second half of the second week, they became more accustomed to each other. Although they would never admit it out loud, both boys looked forward to spending their mornings alone together. Phil had offered Dan a ride home once or twice, and Dan gladly accepted, happy to be riding in Phil's sleek black Mercedes.

"Are you excited to see him again?" the blonde haired girl questioned, her voice filled with curiosity.

Dan scoffed and rolled his beautiful chocolate colored eyes. "You know I _hate_ the guy. Why the hell would I be excited to see him?"

 _More like, why the hell am I lying to myself?_

Louise giggled and twirled a long strand of hair between her fingertips. An obvious blush was painted across her make up covered face.

"I don't know, maybe it's the fact that he's cute _and_ popular? Come on, Dan. I know you're not blind. You have eyes, you can clearly see how gorgeous he is!"

"Since when did you care about superficial things like looks and popularity?" Dan asked, exasperated with his best friend. Thankfully, his question was a perfect excuse to disregard Louise's previous claim.

Dan and Louise had never been ones to care about social status or school reputations. Why was she suddenly so interested?

"I don't," she replied. "I only care because I think he _likes_ you."

Dan chuckled and ran his hands through his hair. "As if a senior like him would over date a little kid like me."

Louise sneered and crossed her arms across her chest. "You're not a little kid... I'm only playing when I call you Cry Baby. God, you are _so_ dense."

"I am _not_ dense."

"Whatever you say, Cry Baby," Louise mocked. She loved Dan to pieces, but he was quite stubborn at times.

Dan rolled his eyes once more and placed his hands on his slim hips. "Moving on, what do you mean I'm not a little kid? I'm a socially inept thirteen year old in a private high school. I'm the literal definition of a child around here."

"Okay, you're younger than all the other kids her _physically,_ but _mentally_ you're more mature than all of the students enrolled at our school."

"I am?" Dan asked, surprised his best friend was being so kind. Typically she was fun and goofy, but right now her voice carried a more serious tone.

"Yes, you are," Louise continued. "You're intelligent, kind, emotional, and the perfect student. You try hard and always work for what you want, even when there are obstacles pushing you back. The way you dealt with the incident, I've always admired you for that..."

Dan's blood ran cold as the gray eyed girl's voice trailed off. She was right. He did handle the incident well.

"Yeah, t-thanks for that."

Louise smiled, her eyes trailing across Dan's lean body. The thirteen year old felt himself shiver out of discomfort.

"Also, don't give me that bullshit about you hating him. I'm not blind, either. You stare at him all the time and all you ever do is talk about him."

"I-I do n-not!" Dan stuttered, a deep blush appearing on his tan cheeks.

"You should get to the auditorium," Louise said, saving Dan from his own cringey behavior. "The bell is about to ring, and I doubt you want to keep Phil waiting. And remember, you really _are_ mature. You proved yourself to me."

"Thanks, Louise. I'll see you in English."

And with that, the brown haired boy walked off in the opposite direction, refusing to turn back.

 _Why does she keep bringing up the incident? Doesn't she understand that it's over now? We're safe, it's been weeks since it happened... Why can't she just let it go?_

 _~Page Break~_

" _So,_ " Pj groaned, trying to break the awkward tension within his group of friends. "Did you guys like, make out or something? What's wrong with you two?"

Chris' face completely drained of color and Phil struggled to find the right words. The blue eyed boy knew Chris had been crushing on Pj for months, so this situation must have been especially mortifying for him.

"No," Phil finally said. "Nothing happened between us, and nothing ever will."

"Why not?" Chris asked. "Am I not your type?"

"Nope," Phil replied simply, purposely popping the _p._

"Is it because I don't have soft brown hair and pretty chocolate colored eyes?" Chris joked.

Phil glared at the shorter boy, and Pj's eyes quickly went from one teen to another. Phil stomped on Chris' foot, causing the brown haired teen to scream.

"Fuck, Phil! I was just playing with you!"

"It wasn't funny!" Phil protested.

"Okay, can someone _please_ tell me what's going on here? I'm feeling really left out, and it's _not_ a good feeling."

Phil sighed, contemplating whether he should keep his mouth shut or tell Pj the truth. The dark haired boy knew he didn't have the best group of friends. If he was totally honest with himself, he knew the only reason he hung out with his group of friends was because he wanted to be liked and fit in. He didn't _actually_ care about any them, he just wanted a good reputation and the popularity that came with it. Yes, it was a vain thing to do, but he'd rather be considered vain than be a forgotten outcast.

Chris and Pj... They weren't like the others. The three of them had grown up on the same street and been friends since before they could walk. Phil knew he could trust both teens with his life.

"It's a long story," Phil began. "Let's go somewhere more private. I'll explain it then."

The group of three exchanged a mutual nod and headed towards the school's exit. They found a nice quiet place behind the main entrance. Pj sat down on an unoccupied rock, Chris flopped down onto the grass, and Phil simply sat down with his legs perfectly crossed.

"Explan?" Pj asked softly, the hurt evident in his voice.

Phil nodded his head, building up the courage to reveal the truth. He sincerely hoped Pj would understand and not brand him as a disgusting freak. The blue eyed boy took in a deep breath and started to speak.

"If you haven't noticed, I've had the biggest crush on Dan Howell since the beginning of the school year."

Pj's hurt look was swiftly replaced by a shit eating grin. "The junior with the pretty smile and even prettier eyes?"

"Yes, him. Well, kind of," Chris added, rolling around in the lush green grass.

"Kind of?" Pj repeated, suddenly lost within the conversation.

"He's thirteen years old," Phil clarified, the words burning his heart.

Pj had the same response that Chris had. His jaw dropped open from shock and he was at a painful lost for words.

"I know," Phil sighed. "I couldn't believe it either."

"How can he only be thirteen? He's the smartest kid in my digital programming class. He tutors all of the other older kids!"

"I had the same response," Chris stated.

"So, how is that going to work?" Pj questioned. "Between you and Dan, I mean."

"There is no me and Dan," Phil countered. He had to pinch the inside of his palm in order to keep himself from displaying the disappointment he was secretly feeling. "Yes, I have a massive crush on him, but I can't do anything about it. He's a _minor,_ for god's sake! I can't risk getting caught in a romantic relationship with a thirteen year old kid. I'd get in major trouble, and no universities would ever even dream about accepting me. I can't risk my future over some pretty kid with nice lips and gorgeous eyes."

"Nice lips and gorgeous eyes," Chris mouthed, but neither Phil nor Pj noticed.

"So you're never going to tell him?" Pj pushed.

"Right," Phil said. "I should go. Class is about to start, and I wouldn't want to keep Dan waiting for too long. We have a lot to go over before he's fully caught up with the rest of the class."

 _~Page Break~_

As Phil walked down the corridors of The Forrest School, he effectively managed to shut the rest of the world out. The only thing on his mind was a certain chocolate eyed boy. Nothing else mattered right now.

The idea of having to work side by side, on a couch, _alone_ with Dan every morning made Phil's heart do a gymnastics routine. Sadly, he knew nothing would ever happen between them. Nothing ever _could_ happen between them. If anything did, then Phil's entire future could possibly be ruined.

Phil decided that he would keep his feelings locked away in his heart, forever hiding them from the person he cared for the most.

The dark haired boy entered the auditorium a few minutes before the bell was scheduled to ring. He was surprised to find Dan already sitting on the couch, his French textbook opened in front of him.

Phil ran his eyes over Dan's lean and beautiful form. Today he was clad in a tight pair of black skinny jeans, matching black Converse, and a Muse t-shirt.

"I love your shirt," Phil remarked, joining the younger boy on the couch.

"You like Muse?" Dan asked, visibly impressed. The little smile pulling at his dark pink lips made Phil's heart melt.

"They're my favorite band of all time," Phil answered, a perky smile inching onto his own lips.

"What's your favorite song?" Dan continued like the excited teenager he physically was.

The older boy shifted closer towards Dan, their knees and shoulders now touching. Dan felt an electric current course throughout his body.

"How about we say it at the same time?" Phil suggested sweetly.

Dan eagerly nodded his head, and at the same time, they both blurted out _Undisclosed Desires._

"No way!" Dan yelled.

Phil grinned and playfully ruffled his hand in Dan's soft scene styled hair. "You're such a cute little kid."

Dan's smile faded and he gave Phil a sideways glance. "I'm not a little kid."

"You're thirteen," Phil countered.

"And?" Dan retorted. "I may be young physically, but mentally I'm above most of the students at this school."

The brown haired boy who, moments ago was actually _enjoying_ Phil Lester's company, was now overcome with anger. How dare Phil treat him like a child? Where did he got off, talking to him like he was some little boy?

"Sure you are, Dan."

Dan scoffed and scrunched up his nose. "So now you're deciding to act like an asshole?"

"I am _not_ acting like an asshole!" Phil defended.

"Yes you are!" Dan screamed, his voice cracking. He hated his stupid body for still going through puberty.

Phil giggled, unable to keep his grin hidden any longer. Dan, still filled with embarrassment, picked up his French textbook and headed for the auditorium's exit.

"Where do you think you're going!" Phil called after him.

"I don't need this bullshit!" Dan shouted over his shoulder. "I'm old enough to make my own damn choices!"

"You-You can't leave!" Phil argued. "We have a lot to review today!"

"Vous vis, vous inutile! Je ne suis pas votre chienne!"

"Dan, Dan get back here! Get back here right now!" the older boy demanded.

"You're not my daddy and I'm not your little dolly, you can't control me!"

And with that, the thirteen year old opened the auditorium door and sprinted down the hallway, trying to get as far away from Phil as possible. Hot and angry tears flowed down his tan cheeks. Dan let out a little sob as he stormed into the boy's bathroom.

 _Fucking Christ, I can't believe I actually thought I had a chance with someone like him! Of course he doesn't like me! He's an eighteen year old man, and I'm just some little kid who was nerdy enough to be placed in his class!_

Dan slammed his fist against the bathroom mirror, completely shattering the glass. Thankfully, his fist didn't receive any serious damage, but he still decided to leave that bathroom and never look back.

 _~Page Break~_

Dan managed to avoid Phil for the rest of the school day. Even in their shared French class, he faced forward the whole time. Whenever Phil tried to tap his shoulder, the younger boy would let out an aggravated huff and brush him off. Whenever Phil or Chris tried to pass him a note, Dan would loudly crumple up the piece of paper and toss it into the garbage.

When the school day was finally over, Dan jumped out of his seat and practically bolted for the school's exit, trying his best to avoid a certain blue eyed boy in the process. For whatever reason, the universe seemed to be working against him today.

Unlike the normal boring and predictably sunny weather of London, the city decided to have a massive downpour of rain.

"Bloody hell," Dan muttered underneath his breath. "We don't even live in the north!"

He knew his mother and father were too busy teaching at the University of London to pick him up and give him a ride home, which meant he would have to walk the three and a half miles to his house in the pouring rain.

The chocolate eyed boy, now fully accepting his fate, maneuvered his way past various students and down a flight of wet stairs. Halfway down, he felt a large and strong hand wrap around his thin wrist. He would have fallen over if it hadn't been for the mysterious person's strong grip.

"Dan. Come on, talk to me. You can't ignore me forever."

The brown haired boy instantly recognized that the voice belonged to none other than Phil Lester. He quickly retracted his hand and continued to stomp down the slippery stairs, still upset about being compared to a _child._

"Dan! Seriously Dan, let's just talk!" Phil yelled.

"I have nothing to say to you!" Dan shouted over his shoulder for the second time that day.

 _Just go away, Phil. You've already broken my heart. There's no need to rub it in._

"Are you really going to ignore me for the rest of the school year? Stop acting like this!"

The thirteen year old whipped around and gave Phil his best death glare. "Can you stop, please?" His eyes scanned the quad, and Dan realized he and Phil had gathered the attention of the entire school.

"Please?" Dan repeated. "You draw enough attention as it is. I don't need this right now."

 _My heart can't take this right now._

"Okay, fine, I'll stop yelling," Phil compromised. "But can you at least let me drive you home? If I don't, you'll catch a cold out here, and then I'll never be able to forgive myself."

Dan looked up at the stormy gray sky. The rain was coming down even harder before, and he had a feeling the pattern would continue for at least a few more hours.

"Fine," Dan agreed bitterly. "But only because I don't want to walk over three miles in the freezing rain."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Phil's lips. "Let's go."

Dan simply nodded his head and followed the taller boy all the way into the school parking lot. Phil unlocked his Mercedes and got into the front seat, Dan copying his motions and climbing into the passenger side. They barely drove down the street before Phil started talking.

"I'm sorry that I was mean to you earlier," Phil said so quietly, Dan wasn't sure if he heard him right.

"Excuse me?" Dan questioned, raising a perfectly arched brown eyebrow.

Phil snickered as he came to a stop at a red light. "I know you heard me the first time."

"No, I didn't. I swear," the younger boy promised. "I wouldn't manipulate your words like that."

Phil swallowed his pride and worried his bottom lip between his teeth. "I said I was sorry about what happened this morning. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

"It's about time," Dan grumbled. "I _told_ you you were acting like a total dick!"

"I know, I know," Phil admitted. "I'm sorry for acting like such a twat."

"Why were you _so mean_ to me?" Dan inquired, his sensitive side breaking through the surface.

Phil turned the corner, raking his mind for an answer to Dan's question. They were almost to the brown haired boy's house.

"I don't know," the blue eyed teen sighed. "Maybe it's because I was afraid?"

Dan snorted and rolled his lovely chocolate colored eyes. "You're afraid of me? Why?"

Phil pulled over onto the side of the road. They were over fifteen minutes away from Dan's house on foot, but it would only be a three minute drive from there.

"Why did you pull over?" Dan asked.

The older boy put the car into park and turned off the vehicle. He briskly ran his hand through his hair and across his pale face, unable to meet Dan's troubling gaze.

"There's a lot I haven't told you, and I was never expecting to say anything in the first place."

"Can you just tell me instead of being so damn cryptic?" Dan pushed.

Phil felt like his heart was about to explode. He liked Dan. He _knew_ he liked Dan. He also knew that pursuing a younger boy could destroy his entire future.

Then again, Phil always wanted things he couldn't have. And Dan Howell was _definitely_ one of those things.

Mustering up all the courage he had within him, Phil decided to reveal his feelings to the younger boy. If Dan rejected him, fine. At least he wouldn't have to live with the regret and thoughts of what could have been. And if Dan returned his feelings, well, then they'd cross that bridge when they got there...

"You're not a little kid," Phil began. "Mentally, at least, like you mentioned before. Your emotional intelligence is that of a mature young adult. But physically, you're still a minor."

Dan cringed within his seat. He hated the word minor. It made him feel uncomfortable. This whole ordeal made him feel uncomfortable!

"And?" Dan asked softly, his tone urging Phil to continue. He felt like his heart was on fire.

"But I think you're really cool," Phil continued, not cutting to the point he was trying to make.

"I think you're cool, too," Dan stated. "Obviously everyone in school thinks you're cool, but I don't think they see past the commercial persona you try so hard to maintain. You're not like all your other friends, Phil. I was stupid for ever believing that you were."

After spending so much time with Phil, the younger boy realized he was different from all the other popular kids. He actually cared about his grades and school. He had a _real_ personality, and when he was that Phil, he was funny and creative and childish and a million other little things Dan loved. Yes, Dan felt love towards the blue eyed boy, and he had been struggling for days to keep his feelings hidden.

Phil's cheeks burned red. People always complimented him, but they were just doing it to get on Phil's good side. But Dan... He was always honest with Phil. He said things other students wouldn't dare say to his face, or at all for that matter. He kept things genuine and never conformed to Phil's standards just to keep him happy like everybody else did.

"I meant it when I said you looked cute this morning," Phil admitted.

"W-What?" Dan stuttered, his pupils blowing wide and his insides burning bright.

Phil placed his hand on top Dan's and intertwined their fingers together. He half expected the younger boy to pull away, but he was pleasantly surprised when he felt Dan's hand respond.

"I said," Phil started, facing Dan and slowly inching forward. He smirked when he saw the younger boy bite his lower lip. "I think you're cute."

"Are you going to kiss me now?" the younger boy whispered against Phil's soft lips.

When Phil didn't respond, Dan eagerly leaned forward, connecting his lips with Phil's.

 **End of another chapter!**

 **Haha, sorry for the seriously lame ending. Who doesn't love a good cliffhanger? If you guys could drop a review, favorite and follow this story, share it with friends, etc it would mean the world to me.**

 **I honestly don't know when I'm going to update, but hopefully soon! Reviews help me write faster!  
**

 **~Naya**


	3. Milk and Cookies

**Chapter 3: Milk and Cookies**

The kiss between Dan and Phil only lasted for a few pure moments. It wasn't long before Dan was pulling away, bashfully hanging his head down and refusing to meet Phil's confused and concerned gaze.

"I'm sorry," Dan spoke softly, his face burning brighter than the sun. The tone of the younger boy's voice made Phil's heart melt. He sounded so _sincere_ and _honest_ it almost felt unreal. For years, Phil had been searching for someone to speak in such a way, a way which was filled with love, but also fear... Fear of disappointing him, unnerving him, possibly even losing him...

"For what?" Phil questioned, reaching for Dan's hand once more and intertwining their fingers. A wave of relief flowed through him when Dan responded immediately and didn't flinch at the sudden physical contact.

Like Phil mentioned previously, he genuinely _liked_ Dan. He wasn't anything like his former suitors. He wasn't like anyone Phil had ever met. Unlike the vain, superficial, self entitled girls who practically threw themselves onto him at school, Dan was calm and collective, but also playful and charming. His personality contained traits which were childish and mature at the same time. The massive contrast within Dan amazed Phil to no end.

"I-I... I got nervous," the brown eyed boy sputtered, utter embarrassment clearly evident in his voice.

Phil nodded his head in understanding and gently squeezed Dan's now shaking hand.

"I'm glad you told me. If you haven't noticed, I've kind of been carrying a torch for you these past few weeks."

Dan chuckled, like he usually did whenever he was nervous, and said, "Don't worry, it was quite obvious."

"Anyway," Phil laughed, subconsciously leaning in closer to Dan. "I don't want you to feel insecure around me. If you want things to start off slow, then we can do just that. Never be afraid to express your opinions around me."

Dan pushed back his light brown fringe with his free hand and finally made eye contact with the ebony haired boy, a little smile tugging at his lips.

"Thank you, Phil. And if you don't mind, I'd like to take things slow right now," he squeaked.

"If that's what you want, than that's what we'll do," Phil confirmed, planting a quick kiss on Dan's forehead. "Now, let's get you home before the weather gets any worse."

Dan remained quiet in his seat, his hand raised to the cheek Phil had brushed his lips against moments ago. Everything was too surreal for him. How did he, of all people, get so damn lucky to have a boy like Phil Lester in his life?

 _~Page Break~_

When Phil pulled into Dan's driveway, the brown haired boy politely invited him inside for some tea and biscuits. Phil, seeing the opportunity to spend more time with Dan _and_ consume free sweets, couldn't resist the offer. He parked his Mercedes on the side of the road and followed Dan into the Victorian Era styled home.

"You can put your stuff down anywhere," Dan said, leading the way into the kitchen.

Phil looked around the large three story home in utter amazement, his mouth forming a perfect _'o'_ shape. The furniture was posh and designer, something his own mother would definitely approve of. The living room was equipped with the newest technology such as speakers, a huge flat screen television, and various shelves of DVD"s and video games.

"Cool house," Phil said offhandedly, taking a seat at the kitchen's bar.

"Thanks," Dan responded, searching the cabinets for tea leaves and biscuits.

When he found the items stored away in the highest cabinet he let out an annoyed sigh. His father stood at 6'4, and for whatever reasoned, he liked to store the biscuits and tea in the highest and most unreachable area. Dan realized it was probably to prevent his younger brother Adrian from eating all of the sweets, but it still irritated him to no end. On a normal day, he would have stood on a chair and gotten the items that way, but his pride wouldn't allow him to do that with Phil in the same room.

"Is there a problem?" Phil called from the bar.

Dan slumped his thin shoulders and pointed upwards at the cabinet. "I can't reach the tea and biscuits," he admitted, every ounce of pride draining from his body.

Phil rose from his stool and made his way over to Dan. The 6'3 giant effortlessly retrieved the desired items and placed them in Dan's hands.

"There you go, Shorty," Phil joked.

Dan crossed his arms and playfully stomped his foot. "I am _not_ that short."

Phil placed his elbow on Dan's shoulder as if the boy were a convenient shelf. "I'm seven inches taller than you!"

The younger boy shrugged off Phil's elbow and sauntered over to the kitchen counter. "That's not fair, you're a giant! Compared to a normal person, I'm above average height!"

The blue eyed boy wrapped his arms around Dan's thin waist and rested his head in the creak of Dan's neck. "Okay, you're tall, you win."

Dan smirked and ripped opened a pack of tea leaves. "I _always_ win."

Ever since a young age, Dan has always had a psychological need to win every game he plays. Whether it's something small and trivial like a game of Monopoly, or something slightly more important like a debate in English class, there's a burning force urging Dan to always come out on top.

Phil hummed against Dan's neck, choosing not to question him. Dan was incredibly cute when he was over confident. He gave Dan one last kiss on the cheek and returned to his seat at the bar.

After a few minutes of the shorter boy rummaging through the kitchen and fishing out plates, cups, and a kettle, he came to a sudden halt.

"Dan, are you alright?" Phil asked.

For the second time that day, Dan felt his overly vindictive sense of pride overcome him. He pushed his lips together and bit the inside of his cheek.

"It just became apparent to me that my mother always prepares the tea," Dan explained, slightly mortified that he didn't even know how to work a tea kettle.

"You can't make a cup of tea?"

"Nope," Dan deadpanned. "I am _literally_ the worse cook on the planet."

The older boy chuckled and ran a hand through his pitch black hair.

"What's so funny?" Dan demanded, suddenly feeling self conscious. He didn't want Phil to think he was a loser because he was the only British person on the planet who couldn't make a cup of tea.

The eighteen year old saw straight through Dan's angry persona and saw the anxiety dwelling in his beautiful chocolate colored eyes.

"Nothing's funny to me," Phil stated sincerely. "The way you said literally was just so adorable, I couldn't help but smile."

Dan, clearly taken aback by Phil's response, felt a deep red blush spill across his face. He awkwardly wrung his hands together and kicked his legs back and forth like a little kid.

Phil, still sensing Dan's insecurity, giggled and walked over to the younger teen. "Well, since you can't prepare a cup of tea, would you like me to teach you?" he asked kindly.

Dan bit his lower lip and nodded. "I'd like you to teach me a lot of things."

The blue eyed boy raised a perfectly arched ginger eyebrow and smirked at Dan. The shorter boy went pale and desperately searched for a rational response. Of course he couldn't think of one.

"Is that so?" Phil remarked, shuffling closer to the brown haired boy. He leaned down and Dan climbed onto his tiptoes, closing his eyes and patiently waiting for Phil to kiss him. Phil barely brushed their lips together before turning away and focusing his attention back onto the tea.

" _Damn tease,_ " Dan complained beneath his breath.

He watched and listened as Phil explained how to make the perfect cup of tea. Dan made sure to take mental notes. He did _not_ want a repeat of this situation the next time he invites the older boy over. Once the kettle had finished preparing the tea, Phil poured it into the cups Dan had picked out.

"Where do you want to sit?" Dan asked.

"Anywhere, really," Phil replied nonchalantly.

"Let's go to the living room then," Dan decided, taking the jar of biscuits with him. "We can watch a movie or play video games if you want."

The two boys wandered into the living room and seated themselves on the same sofa. Phil, as usual, had forced himself into Dan's personal space. Their knees and thighs were pressed together, but also like usual, he didn't push Phil away or demand more space. If anything, he liked being so close to the boy he fancied.

"What do you wanna watch?" Dan inquired aloud, flipping through the various movie channels his cable network provided.

"I'm a big fan of classic horror movies. You don't happen to have Night of the Living Dead, do you?"

Dan flipped through several more channels before finding the movie Phil requested. Without hesitation he rented the movie and pressed play. For the first fifteen minutes of the feature the two boys drank their tea and ate their biscuits in silence. Well, _Phil_ ate the biscuits. Dan sat back with a toothy grin plastered across his face as he watched the older teen from the corner of his eye.

Around twenty minutes in all of the snacks were gone. Since Dan was no longer nursing his cup of tea, Phil saw it as the perfect opportunity to pull the younger boy into his lap. Dan consented and within seconds he was lying flat across Phil's chest as the movie played.

Even though Night of the Living Dead had been released decades ago and was not considered scary anymore, Dan still got frightened. During the particularly gory parts he would snuggle closer into Phil's chest and divert his eyes from the screen.

"Danny, are you scared?" Phil asked, the scene where Tom and Judy's charred remains were being eaten by zombies roaring in the background.

"A little bit," Dan admitted, basically telling his pride to go fuck itself.

Phil promptly picked up the TV remote and turned off the feature.

"Thank you," Dan squeaked, his face still planted in Phil's chest, the beating of his heart pounding against his ear. "I'm sorry we had to turn off the movie."

"Don't even worry about it. We could do... Other things?" Phil suggested, his breath hitching in the process.

Dan simply lifted his head and kissed Phil's lips. The blue eyed boy cupped Dan's face and slowly moved his lips against his. Phil traced his lips along Dan's jawline and neck until he found an exceptionally sensitive area below Dan's ear.

" _P-Phil,_ " Dan gasped breathlessly. He normally _hated_ it when people touched his neck, but Phil was once again an exception to one of his many rules.

The younger boy tangled his hands in Phil's black fringe as the taller boy scraped the fragile caramel colored flesh with his teeth. Dan let out a little scream when he felt Phil's tongue soothe the now swollen and bruised section of his neck.

"Phil!" Dan cried, frantically pulling on Phil's hair and desperately trying to control his moans. God, he was _such_ a virgin! The way Phil ran his hands along Dan's lean body as his tongue attacked his neck... It was overwhelming the brown haired boy in the best way possible. No one had ever touched him like this before or given his body any special attention. Dan savored every second of it.

By this point, Dan was a sputtering mess, only letting the occasional _Phil_ or _damn_ followed by a low needy moan escape his parted kiss swollen lips. Dan almost burst into tears when Phil eventually pulled away.

"Why'd you stop?" Dan whined like a needy child.

Phil laughed and pulled Dan down by the collar of his shirt. "Because I want you to give _me_ one now."

The chocolate eyed boy gulped and nervously bit his lower lip. "I don't know how."

"Remember when you said you wanted me to teach you things?" Phil asked, throwing his arms over Dan's neck. "This is your first official lesson."

"O-Okay," Dan stuttered, hanging his head down, too embarrassed to look at Phil.

The eighteen year old gripped Dan's chin and titled it up, forcing him to look him in the eye. Brown orbs meet blue and a sea of emotion exploded between the two boys. Without being told twice, Dan planted his lips onto Phil's snow white neck and waited for the older teenager's instructions.

"For me, I always like to start off with teeth first," Phil explained. "Don't be afraid to hurt me, okay? I like it hard."

It took every ounce of Dan's willpower and dignity to not rip off Phil's shirt right then and there. Like Phil had done earlier, Dan scraped his teeth against the pale flesh until he found the reaction he was looking for. Phil's sweet spot was located right between his neck and collar bone.

Phil moaned and trailed his hands all along Dan's gorgeous body. "I-I think you... you-you can s-suck on it- _mhmm-_ now..."

Dan smirked and did as he was told. Just as Phil was about to let out his first scream of pleasure, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway brought them back to reality.

"Holy shit!" Dan shouted. "My parents are home!"

The thirteen year old boy picked up the dirty dishes from the living room table and placed them in the kitchen sink. Thinking swiftly on his feet, he pulled two matching scarves out of the coat closet and tossed one to Phil.

"Wrap it around your neck!" Dan ordered, doing the same for himself.

Phil obeyed and wrapped the black cotton scarf around his purple neck just as Dan's parents and his younger brother Adrian came in through the front door.

"Sorry we're late!" Dan's mother called from the doorway. "The traffic to Miss Olivia's home was absolutely horrendous in this weather!"

"It's fine mum!" Dan shouted from the living room.

"Dan!" his five year old brother, Adrian, yelled as he launched himself into his older brother's arms. "Today at Miss Olivia's house, we played Mario Kart, and I won three times in a row!"

"Wow, that's amazing mate!" Dan exclaimed, giving the little boy a high five.

Adrian laughed and playfully tugged on Dan's scarf. Dan felt his face go white with panic. Thankfully, Phil's presence distracted the young boy.

"Who's your friend?" Adrian asked, pointing a chubby finger at the blue eyed teenager.

Dan opened his mouth to answer, but at that moment his mother and father, Angelina and Greg walked into the room.

"My word Daniel, why are you wearing a scarf inside?" Angelina remarked, raising her eyebrows.

"We just got in, actually," Phil answered for him. The charming young man stood up and flashed Greg and Angelina his signature smile, the one that won _all_ adults over and made them love him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Howell. I'm Philip Lester, but everyone calls me Phil."

"Phil Lester, as in Diane and Eren Lester's son?" Angelina curiously asked.

"That's me," Phil smiled, extending his hand.

"I'm Greg and this is my lovely wife Angelina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Phil," Greg said, firmly shaking Phil's hand.

"You can call me Angie," Dan's mother requested, ignoring Phil's handshake and instead pulling the tall teenager into a bone crushing hug.

Phil looked over at the little boy still cuddled in Dan's arms. "You must be Dan's younger brother, Adrian. I'm so happy to finally be meeting you!"

Adrian instantly lit up and ran over to Phil. "Me too! I've been waiting to meet you forever, all Dan ever does is talk about you!"

"Nothing bad, I hope," Phil joked, shooting Dan a devious wink. The brown haired boy was frozen with shock. How was Phil getting along so well with his family?

"Nope, all good things!" Adrian remarked brightly.

"We're about to have dinner right now," Angie cut in. "You're welcomed to join us, Phil."

The pale skinned boy could sense Dan's immense fear and discomfort.

"I really can't stay," Phil said in the best fake upset voice he could muster. "My mother is expecting me home any minute now, I was actually just about to leave."

Angie rubbed her lips together and crossed her arms. "Oh dear, that's quite a shame. Oh, I've got an idea! How about this weekend you and your family join us for dinner? I've been meaning to get in touch with your mother and father for a while now."

"I'd be more than happy to pass on the invitation," Phil mused.

"Lovely!" Angie bellowed.

Phil exchanged goodbyes with each member of Dan's family. It hadn't even been five minutes and they already loved him. Phil knew most of his luck was because his parents owned the hospital Dan's parents worked at, but he also liked to believe his own charm and kind personality contributed to their instant liking of him.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" Dan offered, his eyes basically begging for Phil to say yes.

"Sure," Phil replied, a lop sided grin painted across his face.

"That was, without a doubt, one of the most mortifying experiences of my life," Dan groaned once they were out the front door.

Phil chuckled and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I think your family and I got along pretty well."

"Yeah," Dan snorted. "I can't believe they warmed up to you so easily! It took Louise a full three weeks for my mum to finally come around!"

"What can I say? I'm just a likable person."

"Oh please," Dan lulled. "You're _averagely_ likable."

"Are you sure about that?" Phil whispered, taking Dan's hand in his own.

"Phil, my parents might see you!" Dan protested.

"Don't worry about it," Phil said. "It's dark outside, and we're standing beside my car anyways. If they were to look outside, we'd be out of sight anyway."

Dan grinned and climbed onto his tiptoes. He wrapped his arms around Phil's neck and brought the taller boy down to his level. Phil placed his hands beneath Dan's thighs and lifted the younger boy into his arms.

"You're so cute," Phil mused.

Dan held onto Phil's neck for support as their lips crashed together.

"Dan!" Adrian shouted from the house's front entrance. "Mum said to hurry up or else you'll catch a cold!"

The brown haired boy momentarily ripped his lips away from Phil's. "I'll be in soon!"

"Should we stop?" Phil whispered against Dan's lips.

"He knows he can't go past the porch at night," Dan explained. "But for now, I think we'll have to take a break."

"Maybe you can come over to my house next time?" Phil offered, setting Dan back onto the pavement. "I promise we won't have any interruptions there."

"Oh really?" Dan blushed.

"Really," Phil confirmed. He lowered Dan's matching black scarf and smirked. Phil leaned down and roughly bit into the purple and blue hickey. "This'll show all the other boys that you're mine, okay? You can cover it up at home all you want, but at school, I want everyone to know you're taken."

Phil unlocked his Mercedes and was about to step into the luxury car, but Dan stopped him.

"Phil, wait," Dan said softly, capturing Phil's wrist. "Does this mean... Are you... Are you my boyfriend now?"

The older boy pulled Dan in by his wrist and kissed him passionately. "Was that even a question? Of course I'm your boyfriend."

And with that, Phil got into his car, flashed Dan one last love filled smile, and drove down the road. Dan stood in the cold for a few moments, his fingers pressed against his still tingling lips.

 **End of another chapter!**

 **First of all, I'm _so so so_ sorry it took me this long to update! I literally rewrote this chapter three times (I was very unhappy with the first two attempts) but after various rewrites and concept changes, I finally wrote something I can be proud of!**

 **Also, thank you to everyone who supported this story by reviewing, following, and making it a favorite! If you guys could continue to do that it would make me so happy and help me write faster!**

 **Side note: Since Dan's parents work long hours and Dan goes to school, Miss Oliva is Adrian's babysitter. Just thought I should clear that up cx**

 **The next chapter will involve a lot of drama surrounding Dan and Phil, so mentally prepare yourselves for the upcoming storm!**

 **~Naya**


	4. Soap

**Chapter 4: Soap**

After Phil's car turned the corner down the street, Dan finally came back to reality. He managed to recollect himself, slowly walking back up his driveway and towards his home, the taste of Phil's sweet lips on his own making him feel weak.

"Finally!" Adrian shouted when Dan entered the house. "You were out there _foreverrrrrr._ I thought you were never gonna come back!"

The tan skinned teen laughed and quickly lifted the toddler up into the air. "Well I'm back now!"

"There he is!" Angie announced happily, entering the room, Greg following right behind her. "I didn't know you were friends with Phil Lester?"

Dan's heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of his boyfriend's name. Again, how did he get so damn lucky?

"We just became friends a few weeks ago," Dan explained. "He's been tutoring me in French for the past few weeks now."

"Oh my, that's wonderful!" Angie said joyfully, clapping her hands together. "I'm glad you two are mates, he's a very remarkable young man."

"Yeah, he's pretty great," Dan agreed, a dreamy smile slowly inching onto his face.

"Yeah, he's super nice!" Adrian giggled. It was at that moment the little boy started pulling on Dan's hair, and then his shirt, and then his _scarf._

"Adrian, buddy, I really think you should stop-" Dan was interrupted by his little brother suddenly ripping his thick wool scarf completely off. Dan instantly wished for death as he saw the dreaded black scarf fall to the ground.

 _This is it,_ the teenager thought to himself. _My parents are going to know who left these marks on my neck, and then they're going to fucking kill me, and then bring me back to life to clean up the mess, and then they're going to kill me again!_

"Daniel!" his mother shouted. "What in bloody hell is that revolting mark on your _neck_?"

"Why is it blue and purple!" Adrian screamed, removing himself from Dan's arms.

The thin teenager stood there in silence, too mortified to respond to any of his family members. The look of anger on his mother's face terrified him, but the disappointed look on his father's face made him want to run away and never look back. Why was this happening to him now, just when he thought things in his life were finally heading in the right direction?

"Adrian, go to your room," Greg demanded in a stern voice.

"But daddy, I don't wanna go to my room," the young child whined.

"Please baby, just go upstairs," his father pleaded. "Your mother and I need to have a word with Daniel."

The little boy gave his older brother a sad look, small tears filling in his confused eyes.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble," Adrian muttered as he climbed up the stairs, his head hung in shame the entire way up. Dan didn't know how to feel right now. He wanted to be angry at Adrian for doing such a stupid thing, but he also knew the little boy meant no harm by it. After all, he couldn't have known Dan was trying to hide the mark from his parents.

Once Angie heard her youngest son's door slam shut, she grabbed onto Dan's wrist and dragged him into the living room, forcing him to sit down on the sofa. The thirteen year old boy didn't bother protesting, he knew what was about to happen next.

"Daniel," his mother started. "Please tell me, who in the world gave you that horrendous mark?"

Without thinking, Dan instantly responded, "It was Louise. She's my girlfriend now."

The look on his mother's face slowly softened. His father, on the other hand, still looked disappointed. He was shaking his head side to side in disapproval, causing Dan to physically cringe.

"You're telling me Louise gave you _that_?" his mother asked, pointing a single finger at the gigantic hickey Phil had left on him only minutes ago.

"She's a very... _Aggressive_ kisser," Dan stated.

"Now, when did all of this happen?" Angie questioned. "You better not have been doing sexual things like that in this household, or hers for that matter!"

"Don't worry mum, we were kissing during our free period," Dan answered, relief starting to fill his chest. Was he really going to get away with all the sinful things he and Phil had done together? "We snuck off together and, well, it just _happened_ , mum. I didn't know she was going to give me a mark like that, but when she started kissing my neck, I couldn't stop her. I didn't want to make my girlfriend feel like I was rejecting her physical advances."

Dan's mother gave her oldest son an understanding smile. "I see where you're coming from Daniel, I really do, but... Don't let anything like this ever happen again, okay? It's not socially acceptable for people to see you like that. Please, next time you and Louise are together, promise me that you'll be more careful?"

"I promise that we'll be more careful," Dan reassured his mother, giving her a sweet smile bursting with pure innocence.

"That's my boy," Angie beamed, pulling the brown eyed boy into a loving hug. "I'll be back in a moment dear, I should go talk to your brother and convince him to come downstairs. He probably feels absolutely awful right now."

And with that, Angie rose from her seat on the sofa and started walking up the stairs. When they heard Adrian's bedroom door open and close for the second time that evening, Greg took his wife's place on the sofa and faced his son.

"Daniel, you're my son, and you know that I love you," Greg began, looking the young teen directly in the eye. Dan felt his body go numb. Why was his father acting so serious? "That being said, I don't understand why you feel the need to lie to me."

"I was telling the truth," Dan lied, refusing to admit the fabricated story about Louise being his girlfriend was untrue. "I really did get this mark from my girlfriend."

"Daniel, please," his father scoffed. "I know you got that mark from your _boyfriend_."

"W-What did you just say?" Dan asked weakly, completely taken aback by his father's words.

Greg put his hands together and sighed, lowering his head to face the floor. Dan was devastated. His own father couldn't even _look_ at him right now, for god's sake! He was going to disown Dan for sure and kick him out of the house, forever.

"It wasn't hard to put two and two together," Greg explained. "I saw the way your face lit up when your mother mentioned his name."

Dan sat there motionless, unable to prevent the tears that had been swelling in his eyes from spilling over. This was it. His life was over.

"No wonder you looked so disappointed in me," Dan stated emotionlessly. "You must hate me."

"I don't hate you, Daniel. Nothing could ever, _ever_ stop me from loving you."

A small sob escaped Dan's throat as more tears came flooding down his face.

"I wasn't disappointed in you," his father sighed. "I was disappointed in _myself_ for not addressing your sexuality sooner. You're so young, I thought I could push it off for another year or two, three at the maximum, but when I saw Phil Lester in my home I _knew,_ Daniel."

"What did you know?" the scared teen asked between sobs.

"I knew that my suspicions were right, that my son is gay, and that it's another part of you that I'm going to love with everything that I am."

"You... You _knew_?" Dan asked in disbelief.

"Looking back on it, I've known since you were three. You always liked to try on your mother's high heels, wear her skirts and shirts like they were dresses, play with her makeup... She thought it was an adorable phase that you were going through, but that's when I realized you were gay. I never told your mother what I thought because I didn't want her to view you any differently or try to brainwash you at a young age into believing being gay is a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with being different, son."

"You're okay with me being like this?" Dan whimpered. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You aren't going to kick me out of the house, or disown me?"

Greg let out a loud laugh and pulled his son into a tight bear hug. "Like I said before Daniel, nothing in this world could ever stop me from loving you. There's nothing wrong with you. I _never_ want you to feel ashamed about who you truly are. I fully accept you and your sexuality, Daniel. I love you."

"I love you too, dad!" Dan cried, pulling on his father's shirt and sobbing against his chest. Greg couldn't stop himself from crying, either, finally letting the tears he had been holding back for ten years out.

"Please don't tell mom?" the teenager requested between cries. "I'm not ready for anyone else to know yet."

"I promise I won't tell your mother anything until you come out to her first," his father comforted him. "Now tell me, Phil Lester, is he your boyfriend?"

Dan chuckled as he pulled back from the tearful embrace. "Yes, he is. We've liked each other for quite awhile now, but we just became official today."

Greg grinned and patted his son on the back. "I'm glad you've finally found a nice boy that you can be yourself with."

"I'm happy I found him, too."

 _~Page Break~_

The next morning, Dan was awoken by his phone's alarm. He groggily rolled out of bed, showered, and got ready for school in a little bit under an hour. Dan was dressed in a dark blue button up t-shirt, black skinny jeans, his usual black and white Converse, and a Guns n' Roses t-shirt was hidden beneath his button up.

As he sleepily stomped down the stairs, the smell of French toast and bacon quickly filled his nostrils. He entered the kitchen only to find his father cooking and his brother seated at the breakfast bar, nibbling on a piece of bacon, but refusing to eat anything else.

"Hey little guy," Dan said kindly, sitting next to Adrian at the breakfast bar.

"Hey," the little boy replied sadly. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble last night."

"I wasn't in trouble, you silly goose," Dan corrected his younger brother. "Mum and dad just needed to talk to me about big kid stuff, that's all."

"Really?" Adrian questioned, looking at his brother's face for the first time since last night.

"Really," Dan repeated.

Adrian let out an excited scream and threw himself onto Dan's lap. "So you aren't mad at me?"

"Of course not!" Dan bellowed.

"Oh thank goodness!" the toddler cheered. "I thought you were going to be mad at me forever!"

"Adrian, I could never be mad at you forever. No matter what you do, nothing could ever stop me from loving you."

Dan glanced at his father when he spoke those words. Greg smiled at his oldest son, an immense amount of pride filling his heart.

 _~Page Break~_

When Greg dropped Dan off at school that morning, the brown eyed teen felt like his whole life was perfect. He had an amazing best friend, an incredibly understanding and loving father, and a gorgeous boyfriend who was sweeter than sugar. Remembering the promise he had made last night, Dan unbuttoned his t-shirt and stuffed it into his backpack, revealing the large purple and blue hickey Phil had left on him.

"Hey Cry Baby!" Louise shouted.

Dan turned around and smiled when he saw his best friend quickly rushing towards him.

"Good morning Loui-" the brown haired boy was cut off by the blonde haired girl's high pitched shriek.

"Daniel James Howell!" Louise yelled, her eyes wide and filled with shock. "How in the world did you get that?"

Dan took in a deep breath, mentally preparing himself to tell Louise the whole story.

 _~Page Break~_

When Phil arrived at school, Chris and Pj were already in there designated meeting area, patiently waiting for the leader of their group.

"Hey Phil!" Pj yelled. "So last night I was-" Pj stopped talking when he noticed the small, but still noticeable, purple and blue hickey on Phil's neck.

"Mate, _niceee_ ," Pj drawled out, high fiving his best friend, Chris doing the same soon after.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Chris asked.

"Take a wild guest," the ebony haired teen replied confidently.

Pj's eyes went wide. "Mate, you did _not_! Did you really get a piece of Dan Howell last night? Don't tell me you did!"

"But I did," Phil smirked.

"I thought you weren't going to go after him because he's too young?" Chris inquired.

"I know, I know," Phil said. "But as long as I don't have sex with him, things should be okay."

"But don't you _want_ to have sex with him?" Chris reminded him.

"Oh, shut it!" Phil yelled playfully.

Pj grinned and softly elbowed Phil in the ribs. "Oh come on mate, we know you want to rip all of Dan's clothes off and explore _all_ he has to offer!"

"It's not like that!" Phil laughed. "We're taking things slow for now, got it boys? Plus, we're keeping our relationship a secret for the time being. Besides, I can't let someone like Dan slip between my fingers... I've never met another guy like him. I really want to be with him."

Pj and Chris nodded their heads sympathetically. A sad, longing look flicked across Pj's face. Chris felt a twinge of hurt attack his heart.

"Trust me mate, I get it. I know what it's like to want somebody so bad that you'll do anything just to be around them," Pj shared.

Chris' eyes filled with fear. "What do you mean. Is she anyone that I know?"

Pj rapidly nodded his head. "N-No, you guys probably don't even know her. She goes to a different school."

"Oh," Chris said quietly. "That's cool, I guess."

 _~Page Break~_

"Did you hear the news?" Tana asked her best friend, Zoe, outside of the school gates.

"What news?" Zoe questioned, her curiosity slightly peaked.

"According to the rumor mill, Phil Lester showed up today with a _huge_ hickey on his neck. Who do you think is the lucky skank that gave it to him?"

Zoe stopped dead in her tracks, anger and jealously rapidly filling her body. "Are you serious?" she questioned angrily.

"Dead serious," Tana replied honestly. "The whole school is going crazy trying to figure out who the girl is."

"Well, whoever she is, she's going to regret ever getting close to _my_ man."

 **End of another chapter!**

 **Please remember to leave a review, follow, favorite, and share this story!**

 **~Naya**


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